| During the Republican primary Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison rightfully questioned whether or not Rick Perry's precious Texas Enterprise Fund was truly bringing or creating jobs in Texas that otherwise would have already been brought or created here without tax subsidies.
Perry avoided answering those questions then and he continues to avoid answering those questions now, even though the pressure for an independent audit of the TEF grows by the day.
Bill White's campaign has taken issue with the Governor's approval of $20 million dollar subsidy to sub-prime mortgage broker Countrywide; therefore, White is calling for a full audit of the Texas Enterprise Fund.
In 2004, Perry heralded his tax subsidy to Countrywide as the "crowning jewel" of the TEF. Really? Nice double standard, Rick. You spent more than a year bellowing about Washington's bailouts, but your $20 million "crown jewel" handout to a company being sued for fraud isn't worth your answering for?
White's campaign had this to say:
"If Rick Perry is so proud of handing $20 million to a failed mortgage lender that's being sued for fraud, why won't he welcome an independent audit?" said Katy Bacon, campaign spokesperson. "Rick Perry is attempting to avoid public accountability."
It's time for Rick Perry to prove he can back up his primary rhetoric. Texas handouts to sub-prime mortgage lenders are no different than Washington bailouts. Perry is equally accountable at the state level as politicians in Washington are.
Let's see the books, Rick. Let's see if the Texas Enterprise Fund is worth raising small business owner's taxes in order to pay for it. For someone who sure loves to tout some fictional record of being a "tax-cutter," there continues to be mounting evidence to show Perry's tax increases have been devastating to small businesses and mainstream Texans. |
